Crews began construction this week on a new $42 million Mercy orthopedic hospital in Fort Smith.
Mercy plans to build the hospital in the place of an abandoned steel structure at the Mercy River Valley hospital campus at South 79th Street and Phoenix Avenue.
Mercy hospital officials said they want to start fresh with a new structure and design.
The steel structure may take two to three months to tear down before the foundation is reset and new construction begins, according to a statement released by Mercy.
The new facility will focus on assisting adults who need joint-replacement surgery. The 24-bed hospital will likely employ more than 100 people, according to the statement.
The orthopedic center is part of Mercy’s $192 million community master plan to recruit doctors and build infrastructure in the area over the next seven years.
